- April 17, 2026
William “Bill” Henry Klinkenberg, Jr., left this earth and danced into heaven on April 10, 2026, with his loving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren by his side. He peacefully entered into the presence of God, whom he had served his entire life, reunited at last with his beloved wife, Frances. His faith was not a chapter of his story—it was the story, the thread that ran through every decade, every decision, and every relationship he held dear.
Born on November 24, 1929, in Jamaica, Queens, New York, Bill was truly a force of nature. He had a way of walking into a room and making everyone in it feel like they mattered, and that gift never left him. The eldest of five brothers, he stepped up early, playing a key role in raising his siblings into the men that they became.
In 1951, Bill answered the call to serve his country and joined the U.S. Marines, serving during the time of the Korean War as a mortarman and received an honorable discharge. After his time in the Marines, Bill met his beautiful bride-to-be, Frances, in New York City. One first date at a hockey game sealed the deal and the two were inseparable. Bill and Fran were married on January 30,1954, and enjoyed each other’s company and partnership for 53 years. Together, they built a life and a family that would become their greatest legacy: five sons, Bill, Paul, Phil, Thomas, and John, whose families have since grown into 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
He served New York City as a police officer, retiring as a sergeant after 21 years. In 1976, Bill and Fran packed up and moved south, settling in the small town of Palm Coast, Florida. He and his family played an essential role in the foundation and groundbreaking of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, where he remained a devoted parishioner until his passing. Bill also helped establish the parish’s Knights of Columbus council. His faith was always strengthening, growing closer to his Lord and Savior with each passing year.
Bill was a man who never sat still. He and Fran treasured their cross-country road trips, exploring America together as a family. He traveled the world, from Amsterdam to Alaska, from Thailand to Central America, and his love of adventure was infectious, including ziplining in his mid eighties!
Beyond his travels, Bill gave back wherever he went. As a Member of the Kiwanis Club for 53 years, he attended conferences across the world and volunteered at elementary schools teaching young children to read. Bill was instrumental in founding the local library and served on the Friends of the Library board for 20 years. He remained deeply involved in the Marines through the Marine Corps League Detachment 876 and was named the oldest living Marine in the Northeast Florida area, a distinction he carried with the same quiet pride he brought to everything he did.
But for all the lives he touched beyond his front door, his greatest impact was felt right around his own dinner table. His happiest moments were when his family gathered together, Frank Sinatra playing in the background, a pan of lasagna on the patio table, and kids running around everywhere. His faith was never separate from any of it. He lived it plainly and gave it freely, sharing the love of Jesus with everyone around him. For Bill, a life close to God was not something you kept to yourself, and the people around him were better for it.
The hole Bill leaves is deep, but the legacy he leaves is bigger than any of us can fully measure. He lived unapologetically with purpose, joy, unwavering faith, and with a love for his family that touched everything he did. He is home now, truly home, and that legacy lives on in every person he shaped. We can only hope to live half as fully as he did.
Bill is survived by his five sons, Bill, Paul (Tina), Phil (Martha), Thomas, and John (Wendi), and his beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday April 19th, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Clymer Funeral Home & Cremations, 39 Old Kings Rd. N., Palm Coast, FL 32137 and on Monday April 20th, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 4600 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast, FL 32164. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow, at 1:00 p.m., on Monday April 20, 2026 in the church.
The Klinkenberg family have entrusted arrangements to Clymer Funeral Home & Cremations, 39 Old Kings Rd. N., Palm Coast, FL 32137.
